As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,492 issued Nov. 11, 2003 to Mitchell, containers that include lids have numerous uses in residential, industrial, and commercial applications. In many applications, a snug or airtight engagement between the lid and the container is desirable to ensure that the contents of the container does not spoil through exposure to the air, or spill if the container is dropped or knocked over. In this regard, the Mitchell patent provides a closure displacement lever for improved disengagement of the lid from the container. As shown in the preferred embodiment of the Mitchell drawings, that lever includes a lowermost gripping edge, by which a user can engage the lever, pull it outwardly, and use it to help pry off a cover or lid from the container. The Mitchell patent generally provides a container having a base and a rim connected by a circumferential wall. A lid having a skirt is included for engaging the rim of the container. A flange is further provided on the container surrounding the circumferential wall with the lever forming a part of the flange, where the flange is discontinuous at either side of the lever, so that the lever is flush with and conforms to the shape of the flange.
Although the Mitchell device is generally well suited to facilitate disengagement of the lid from the container, the flange, being discontinuous at either side of the lever exposes the bottom, lower, or free edge of lever to the user. As such, the arrangement between the lever and flange of the Mitchell device does not prevent or even minimize the potential for inadvertent opening of the container.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus that provides for at least a device used to aid in the opening of a container, that further protects against the inadvertent opening of the container, as well as provides greater hoop strength when compared to similar containers.